Sogni Cadenti
by riesling
Summary: Young, rich, and in love. The perfect combination. But will tragedy strike just when everything has set up for the fairy tale ending? Xaioyin. Please R&R!
1. Chapter One

Chapter One

It was spring; the nights were still cool and the days were warm and pleasant. Already, flowers were beginning to bloom and rainstorms were frequent. That night, however, was lovely.

The moon was shining through the window and fell in gentle sheets across Jin Kazama and his wife, Xiaoyu. The soft rustling of the leaves outside of the window could be heard making smooth noises that reminded Jin of the ocean.

He smiled, looking down at his wife's beautiful features as she slept. He gently stroked a few strands of her dark brown hair out of her face and rested his free hand safely on her waist. Her light skin seemed to glow in the moonlight and her beautiful body was accentuated by the thin sheet that covered them both.

'God,' Jin thought. 'I don't know what I ever did to deserve you.'

She had grown up over the course of the past three years. Although she was now a mature and sensible young woman of twenty-one, Xiaoyu never lost her sense of humor or her good-hearted nature. On the inside, she was just as loving and care-free as she had been when Jin fell in love with her.

Jin turned over on his back and stared at the ceiling. He was thinking about all that had happened over the last three years of their life together. The Iron Fist Tournament had come and gone; three times to be precise. Jin now controlled the former Mishima Zaibatsu, though it wasn't called that anymore. He and Xiaoyu lived comfortably in the privacy and luxury of the former Mishima mansion. But before all of that; before the tournament and before the Mishima Zaibatsu changed hands, Jin had left Xiaoyu.

He had never told her why he left; had hoped that he would never need to. There was something inside of him, something in his blood that needed to be destroyed. There was no way in the world that he would ever risk hurting her; though he knew that, by leaving, he had hurt her more than he could have imagined.

Once Jin had destroyed the devil within himself, which he did by ridding himself of all traces of his former 'family', if it was even fair to call them that, he returned to Japan. He was willing to never fight again. He had won the tournament and, with the tournament, Xiaoyu.

It had been hard, sure. But, now that it was all over, he wouldn't trade any of it for the world. He had everything that he could ever want. A nice house, a steady job, a loving wife, and the security that only he could provide them with.

After the tournament he had proposed to her. He had done it right where they had first met: in the garden outside of the dojo. Without question, it was one of the scariest things he had ever done. But when she knelt down to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying, he knew that it would remain one of the most wonderful moments of his life.

Jin turned back to his wife, remembering how happy they were on their wedding day. She had looked beautiful, of course. She had worn a western style wedding dress; long, white, and breathtaking. Jin couldn't forget the small white pearls that lined the top and bottom of her strapless gown, the small lace insets that had lain under the pearls, the beautiful train that drug slightly on the ground. Most of all, however, Jin remembered her smile.

It was one of the happiest times that they had spent together. Surrounded by friends and family, they vowed to spend the rest of their lives together.

Xiaoyu shifted in her sleep, softly sighing, and snuggling deeper under the covers. She gave a little shiver to which Jin responded, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close to him.

A small moan escaped her and she opened her eyes. She smiled, sleepily, up and Jin and whispered, "Morning, love."

"Shh," he responded. "I didn't mean to wake you. I was only trying to keep you warm. Now, go back to sleep; I'll watch over you."

She smiled and gave him a kiss and cuddled close to him. She pressed her face against his bare chest and smiled. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he said softly into her ear. "Sleep well and have pleasant dreams, baby."

Xiaoyu shifted and turned in her sleep for a few minutes before she drifted back to sleep. Jin closed his eyes and snuggled as close to her as he could. 'Yeah,' he thought. 'I wouldn't change this for the world.'


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

There was no wind the next morning when Jin woke up to find an empty place in bed next to him. Only rain, pounding against the now closed window, was there to wake the weary young man. Jin sat up and quickly got out of bed.

He first walked over to the window and took a look outside. It was a bad storm; one that didn't look like it would let up all day. He turned and looked at the clock. 'Four thirty,' he thought to himself. 'It's too early for Xiaoyu to be awake. I wonder where she could be at this hour.'

Turning towards his open bedroom door, Jin walked out of the room and took a few steps down the hallway. He could hear rain, falling in sheets, against the side of his home and the roof above his head. Thunder drowned out the sounds his feet made as they slid across the cool tile floor.

"Xiaoyu?" Jin called out to her. There was an eerie silence from within the house, the only noise coming from the rain.

Jin walked back inside of the bedroom, hoping that maybe she would have returned. As he closed the door behind him, Jin could see the soft glow of the bathroom light. Inside he could hear soft sobbing.

Quickly he crossed the smooth carpet of his room and knocked lightly on the door. "Xiaoyu, is that you?" he asked. "Are you alright?"

"Oh Jin!" she sobbed. "I feel so sick."

Opening the door, Jin's eyes fell on his wife's small frame. She was sitting next to the toilet, her head in her hands. She was wrapped up in a small blanket, shivering with fever.

"Shh," Jin whispered, kneeling beside his wife and wrapping her in his arms. "It's ok, baby, I'm here."

Xiaoyu continued to cry, this time more loudly. She wrapped her arms around Jin's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Her head was pounding and her stomach was still horribly unsettled.

"What can I get for you?" Jin whispered. "What hurts?"

Xiaoyu was silent for a moment. "I can't decide," she whispered. "My whole body aches. My head most of all, but then there's my stomach. I keep feeling like I'm going to throw up."

"Here," Jin said, picking Xiaoyu up and cradling her in his arms. "Let's go back to bed. I'll get you something for your head. But I think you should try to get some rest. We'll see a doctor in the morning."

Xiaoyu nodded.

Gently, Jin put her back into her place in bed. She tried to offer him a smile, but could only manage to whisper, "I love you, Jin."

"I love you too, baby," Jin whispered back as he pulled the covers over her. He finished with the blanket she had been using in the bathroom, tucking it gently under her shoulders. Jin kissed her forehead and promised he would be back soon.

Xiaoyu shifted a little, trying to get comfortable. Her stomach felt terrible, but laying down eased the pain in her head slightly. Xiaoyu waited until Jin had closed the door behind him before she closed her eyes and snuggled under the covers.

Out in the hallway, Jin listened to the thunder and used the lightning to light his way down to the kitchen. Once he walked through the door Jin began to dig through the drawers for a medicine to ease Xiaoyu's headache. Once he found it, he took the bottle, a glass of ice water, and some crackers back upstairs with him.

When he opened the door, however, Xiaoyu was not in the bed but rather back in the bathroom with the door closed. Jin went into the bathroom, this time without knocking, and knelt beside his wife. He gently rubbed her upper back while she threw up into the toilet, crying in between heaves.

"I'm so sorry, Jin. I just feel so terrible," she shivered, holding her sides.

"No, no!" Jin comforted her. "It's not your fault, baby. I know that."

"But still," she started.

"Shh," Jin looked down at her, ashamed that he couldn't do anything to help her. "I think you might have the flu. It's been going around lately. Just hold out until I can take you to the doctor," Jin said.

Xiaoyu nodded. Her beautiful features looked so pale and without life. Her soft brown hair was matted to her face by sweat from her fever.

Jin wrapped his arms around Xiaoyu and gently kissed the top of her head. They sat there, on the bathroom floor, for the rest of the night. Together they listened to the roll of thunder and the constant pounding of rain outside their home.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The very next morning, Xiaoyu was sitting in the waiting room to the doctor's office alongside her anxious husband. It was still raining steadily and didn't look as if it would let up any time soon. Her head was still pounding, though her stomach seemed to have settled a bit.

The waiting room was quite; almost empty at such an early hour of the day. Xiaoyu leaned her head against Jin's shoulder and he put his arm around her. Xiaoyu tried to close her eyes and relax, but her head wouldn't allow it.

Jin's eyes wandered around the small room. There was a single receptionist sitting behind a desk, working on her computer. Behind her, there was a clock that wasn't working. To his left, there were tons of toys for children, including blocks, books, dolls, and puzzles. Towards his right was the door that led back to the examination rooms. The whole place smelled like rubbing alcohol and was strangely cool. It made Jin kind of uneasy.

The door to the examination room opened and a short, plump nurse emerged with a clipboard. "Xiaoyu," she asked.

Jin turned to his wife to see her sleeping. He smiled down at her, though she couldn't see it and cradled her in his arms. He carried her, follow the nurse, through a snaking hallway and finally to a door near the end.

The nurse opened the door and motioned for Jin to go in first. It was a small room with two chairs and a large table in the middle. Lying Xiaoyu down on the examination table, Jin started to answer a few questions for the nurse.

"When did your wife start feeling this way?" the nurse asked.

Jin thought for a moment. "The first time I noticed was last night."

"Umm hmm," the nurse was writing on the clipboard. "And what did you say her symptoms were?"

"Well, she was sick to her stomach, had a terrible head ache, and didn't really sleep well last night," Jin answered.

"I see. So you think it might be the flu?" she asked.

"Well, yes," Jin paused. "I can't think of anything else it could be."

"Has she been exposed to anyone with the flu lately?" the nurse asked.

"Not to my knowledge," he answered.

"Alright," the nurse said, finishing what she was writing on the clipboard. "The doctor will see you shortly."

Jin waited, watching his wife sleeping soundly on the table. Occasionally, Xiaoyu would sigh softly or turn in her sleep. Taking her small hand in his, Jin kissed it gently, hoping not to wake her up.

After a few minutes, the doctor came into the small room and sat down on the chair opposite Jin. He opened up a folder that contained Xiaoyu's medical records. Digging through them for the right page, he finally began to write on the paper. He looked up only occasionally.

"Good morning, Mr. Kazama," the doctor greeted them. His eyes were dark and unfriendly looking. He seemed not to notice the sleeping woman on the table beside him.

"Doctor," Jin stood up with his hand outstretched. The two men shook hands and Jin sat back down.

"I'm going to need to talk to your wife," he said.

Jin leaned over in his chair and took his wife's hand again. "Xiaoyu," Jin whispered, shaking her a little. "Wake up, the doctor's here."

Sleepily, she opened her eyes. Her face was still very pale. "Jin?"

"Ahh, I see you've finally woken up," the doctor smiled down at his patient. He no longer had the same attitude as he had shown towards Jin.

"Hello, doctor," she said weakly.

"I understand you've got yourself a case of the flu," he replied.

"Well, yes," Xiaoyu answered. "I mean, I think so."

"We're going to have to run a few tests, but I believe that you may be right," the doctor smiled. "But don't worry. We'll take care of you."

Jin smiled. He was glad to see that the doctor seemed to care so much about Xiaoyu's well-being. 'She's going to be alright,' he thought.

After a while, the doctor left the room and sent the nurse back inside. "Mr. Kazama?" she said, softly. "The doctor would like to speak to you outside."

Puzzled, Jin got up from his chair and left the room. The doctor was waiting for him outside of the door. Jin looked at the doctor, trying to find out what was so important that he couldn't talk to him in front of Xiaoyu.

"Now, Mr. Kazama," the doctor said, clearing his throat. "This is hard for me to explain, but it seems that your wife's immune system has been weakened. There are a few things that could have caused this; the most likely is that she is pregnant."

Jin looked at the doctor, his eyes widened. Feelings of joy and confusion were spreading through him rapidly. "Xiaoyu is?"

"Well, we're going to have to run more tests," the doctor began. He smiled a little, looking at the man in front of him. "If I had to take a guess, however," the doctor paused. "I would say that your wife probably is pregnant."

Jin couldn't have possibly put his feelings into words. Xiaoyu was pregnant. And suddenly, reality sunk in. 'Me?' he thought. 'A father?'


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Jin helped his wife into the car and smiled. Though it had been determined what was probably causing her sickness, the doctor had still decided she had the flu. Xiaoyu seemed content. Jin walked to the other side of the car and let himself in.

It wasn't long after they had pulled out of the hospital parking lot that Xiaoyu asked, "The doctor told you about" she paused. "He told you, right?"

Jin smiled again. "Yeah," he answered.

"And," Xiaoyu began. "You aren't mad?"

"Mad?" Jin laughed. "How could I be mad?"

"Really?" she asked, weakly.

Jin reached over and held his wife's hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled at him.

"It's a little scary," she said.

"Yeah," Jin agreed. "But it's really exciting too."

They continued to talk until they pulled into the long driveway leading towards their home. Once they arrived, Jin walked Xiaoyu to the door and led her into the kitchen.

"I'm starving," he smiled. "What can I make for you?"

"I'm not hungry," Xiaoyu sighed. "I think I'll go back to bed."

Jin watched her walk out of the kitchen and listened to the soft sound that her feet made as she walked up the carpeted staircase. 'I wish there was something I could do to help her feel better,' he thought.

After breakfast, Jin went back upstairs to tell his wife goodbye for the day. She was back in the bathroom, this time in the shower. Jin could hear the water running and feel the steam sliding from under the door. He knocked softly on the door. When there was no answer, he knocked again.

"Jin?" Xiaoyu questioned.

"Yeah, I'm going to work," he said. "Is there anything you need before I go? Or is there anything you want me to bring back for you?"

There was a long pause. The water turned off and Xiaoyu came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. "Not that I can think of," she said.

After her shower, some of the color had returned to her face. She didn't look so sick anymore, but Jin knew better than to believe she was alright.

"You should be in bed. You need your rest," he said.

"I know, Jin. I just," she paused. "I just felt so dirty. I wanted to take a long, hot shower."

Jin smiled. "Alright, baby, but if you need anything, call me, ok?"

He pulled her into a quick hug, trying not to get too wet. Kissing her on the forehead, he smiled down at her. She looked beautiful, her wet hair clinging around her face, the bath towel wrapped around her small frame.

"I'll see you later this afternoon, ok?" he smiled at her.

"Yeah, I'll be waiting for you, so don't stay away for too long," she said.

"Call me as soon as you hear from the doctor," Jin reminded her.

"I will," she tried to smile. "Now, hurry up or you'll be late for work."

Jin walked out of the bedroom and took two steps towards the staircase before he turned around. Xiaoyu was changing into her pajamas, he knew. He went back into the bedroom.

"Xiaoyu," he said her name.

She looked up at him. "Yes?"

"What if you need something while I'm gone? What if you need something really fast?" he asked. "What if you want food? Or if you get bored and want to watch TV?"

Xiaoyu tried to laugh. "I don't know."

"Here," Jin offered her his hand. "Let's put you downstairs. That way, you're close to the kitchen; you have a television, a bathroom, and all of the food you could want. Plus, you're closer to a telephone."

"Alright," Xiaoyu said.

Before he left for work, Jin made sure that his wife was comfortable on the couch. He made sure that the telephone was close, that she could watch TV if she chose, and that she had plenty of magazines to look at.

"Ok, baby," Jin said. "I'm gonna go now."

"I love you, Jin," Xiaoyu said.

"Yeah, baby, I love you, too," Jin answered. He kissed her goodbye and left.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

When Jin returned from work that evening, there had been no news from the doctor. The next day, Jin didn't hear from Xiaoyu at work and that night passed, as well, with no call from the doctor. As Jin and Xiaoyu waited, Xiaoyu's flu got progressively worse.

After five days of waiting and no reply from the doctor, Xiaoyu's condition had increased so much in severity that Jin had no choice but to take her to the emergency room. Xiaoyu was so weak that she could hardly sit up, her fever was so extreme, and she couldn't eat anything.

The doctor that examined Xiaoyu in the emergency room wasn't her regular physician. She was still young, probably fresh out of medical school, but didn't appear to be very nervous about the decisions that she was making about Xiaoyu's condition. Xiaoyu was placed on a hospital bed and rolled, with Jin not far behind, to a private room.

"Her condition is stable," the doctor replied. "She'll be alright, now. It appears to be a sever case of pneumonia."

"Can I stay with her?" Jin asked.

"Of course!" the doctor answered. "In fact, it's probably better that you do. Right now we're trying to obtain her medical records. I'll come back as soon as we've recovered them."

Jin sat next to Xiaoyu's bed, holding her hand. There was a hospital gown on the end of the bed and a nurse in the room. The nurse was taking Xiaoyu's blood pressure, temperature, and trying to make her comfortable.

"Mr. Kazama?" the nurse asked. "I'll be right back. I'm going to check and see if the doctor has found her medical records yet. You need to put your wife in this hospital gown and see if she is able to answer some questions for us."

"Alright," Jin responded. He waited for the nurse to leave the room before moving towards his wife. "Sweetie?" he asked. "We've got to put this on, now, ok?"

Xiaoyu weakly nodded her head. Jin gently began to undress his wife, careful not to disturb her. Her skin was on fire and she seemed to be sweating.

After her hospital gown was on, Jin began to talk to her. "It's ok now, baby. The doctors are going to take good care of you."

Xiaoyu opened her eyes and looked at Jin. She took a deep breath and tried to talk. She was too weak to make her voice work and tears of frustration spilled down her cheeks as she saw all of the pain in Jin's eyes.

"Shh," Jin whispered, holding his wife's hand. "It's ok, baby. You'll be alright in a little bit. The doctor is coming back."

Jin tried to stop his wife's tears. But there was something that she wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him; she had to. She was trying so hard to make her voice work.

"Jin," she whispered, finally.

"Shh. Don't talk," Jin responded.

The doctor walked back into the room. She was holding a clipboard and the nurse was close behind her. The doctor sighed.

"Mr. Kazama," she said. "I'm afraid I have some bad news."

Jin prepared himself. 'Bad news,' he thought. His head was spinning.

"Your wife," the doctor started. "It appears that she is pregnant; your medical records show that you were at the doctor's office recently about the flu."

"Yes," Jin answered.

"I'm not sure how to put this," she began. "Your wife will be just fine but her immune system has been weakened by pregnancy. This is a very common occurrence, so nothing to worry about there."

Jin let out a sigh of relief. 'Xiaoyu's fine,' he thought. "So, what's the bad news, then?" he asked the doctor.

"Your wife had the flu and that virus has escalated into a severe case of pneumonia, as I warned you before," the doctor responded. "The bad news is that, in recent studies, there has been evidence to suggest that viral pneumonia, which is what we suspect your wife has, increases the risk of premature birth and even miscarriage."

Jin looked at her, a little bit confused.

"Basically, Mr. Kazama," the doctor began. "If this infection goes untreated, there is a strong chance that your wife's body will reject the pregnancy, resulting in miscarriage. But, if we do treat this infection, there is a ninety percent chance that your wife will suffer a miscarriage."

"So, we're going to lose the baby?" Jin asked.

"I'm afraid so, Mr. Kazama," the doctor began.

Xiaoyu was still so weak, but it had registered with her. She turned her head towards the pillow and cried. Jin took her hand in his and gently squeezed it.

"I'm very sorry," the doctor responded.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

She had spent three weeks in the hospital, lost the baby, and she, herself, had nearly died. Jin was worried out of his mind, spending most of his time at her side in the hospital. It was a relief for both of them when she finally returned home.

But something about her seemed different. It wasn't just how thin and frail she had become; it was more about the way that she acted. Sure, Jin was upset about losing the baby, but Xiaoyu was devastated. She cried at night, when Jin was asleep. When he was gone during the day, she lost herself in thought.

Everything at the house had become so lonely without him there. Jin had noticed this change in his wife. Though he wanted to help her, it was difficult for him to figure out a way to bring the life out in Xiaoyu again.

"Jin, do you ever blame me?" she asked one day.

"What?" he asked confused.

"I mean, about the baby," she responded. "Do you ever blame me?"

"Oh no!" he answered, pulling down onto the couch next to him. "I never blame you, baby. It wasn't your fault at all."

Tears started running down her face. "Really?"

"Of course I don't blame you," he answered.

She was openly sobbing now. "It's just that you were so excited about the baby. And I took it away."

"Xiaoyu!" Jin exclaimed. "Is this what your sadness has been about these past few weeks?"

"Well," she sniffed. "Partially."

"Oh, Xiaoyu," Jin began. "Have I made you feel that way?"

"No," she answered. "I just-I blame myself, that's all."

"Shh," Jin whispered, rocking her back and forth. "It's alright, sweetie. I know it wasn't your fault. I'm just glad that you're alright."

"Really?" she asked.

"Of course!" Jin responded. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Xiaoyu laughed through her tears, hugging Jin tightly. "Then what would you say," she paused. "What would you say to trying again?"

Jin stopped and looked down at her. He smiled.

"I mean, maybe not right away, if you didn't want to," she began. "Just sometime."

Jin pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back.

Gently, Xiaoyu pushed Jin's head against the pillow at the end of the couch. She put one leg on either side of him and began to lie on top of him. Before she realized it, his mouth was moving against hers and their hands were at work, stripping off each others clothes.

Jin's kisses trailed down her neck and stopped at her chest. She pulled his body closer to hers. Smiling, she kissed him again and again.

His hands caressed her so gently. Her skin was soft and silky to the touch; smooth like porcelain. Her hands found their way to his hair, slightly wet with sweat, and parted it easily between her fingers.

Their breaths came in quick short gasps. Each of her kisses, long and lingering, grew shorter and sweeter. She moaned softly.

Jin could feel Xiaoyu's body against his, around his, a part of his. They were intertwined in rapture; his senses were intoxicated with the feel of her. He could taste the salt of her skin, feel her silky hair against his face, gently caress the curves of her body.

"Yes," she whispered. She could feel the warmth of her breath against his neck. Her arms were wrapped around him.

Jin moaned softly and Xiaoyu could feel his body shudder against hers. As their bodies separated, Xiaoyu softly whispered, "I love you."

Jin hugged his wife. "I love you too," he responded.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

She had known for several weeks now. Something inside of her wanted to keep things a secret from Jin. Maybe it wouldn't hurt so much as it had the last time, losing the baby, if he didn't know that she was pregnant again.

But there was also a part of her that wanted to tell him. She wanted to celebrate with him. There was something inside of her that was proud of what they had done together; something that needed for him to know.

Xiaoyu had decided that she was going to tell him when he got home from work that night. She had it all planned out; he would get home and she would have dinner ready, just like every other night. They'd lie down on the couch together and talk. That's when she would tell him.

'I'll just tell him the truth, right from the start,' she thought. 'I won't try to hide it anymore.'

The truth was that she couldn't try to hide it anymore. Xiaoyu was beginning to feel very sick in the mornings, as though she had spent the night on a boat, rocking and swaying to the waves. It was all that she could do to wait until Jin had gone to work before she got sick, alone in the bathroom.

She slept a lot during the day so that she wouldn't be so tired when Jin got home. It seemed like all she ever was anymore was tired. Xiaoyu didn't want to worry him; she didn't really even want him to know.

She walked around the house all that day deep in thought. A million and one scenes played over and over in her mind. She hoped that he would be happy, but what if he was upset that she hadn't told him sooner or what if he didn't want a baby anymore? She sighed, trying not to let this worry her.

But she couldn't help it. Jin was everything to her; she didn't want to do anything that would upset him or make him mad. She lay down on the couch and cried herself to sleep.

She had been sleeping for too long. Jin was home and he found his wife sleeping, peacefully, on the couch. There wasn't any sign of dinner and it didn't look as though she would be waking up any time soon.

He smiled down at her. She was so beautiful; her long brown hair fell over her shoulders and a few strands had fallen across her face. Her smooth cheeks seemed almost to be blushing; as though she knew that he was watching her.

Jin walked into the kitchen and put his briefcase down on the table. He took off his suit jacket and hung it over the back of a chair. Jin looked through all of the cupboards to find something to make for them to eat.

He was disappointed by what he found. 'I haven't cooked in a long time,' he thought. 'Ok, maybe I haven't ever cooked.'

He picked up the phonebook and opened it to the yellow pages. He scanned the selections. 'Hmm,' he thought. 'I wonder what Xiaoyu feels like.' Finally deciding on Chinese food, he got the phone and ordered.

It would be twenty minutes before the food would come. 'What should I do?' he sighed. 'Xiaoyu's asleep and I don't want to wake her up.'

He went upstairs and changed into some more comfortable clothes. He tossed all of his dirty clothes into a hamper beside the bathroom door and hung the tie back in his closet. Slowly, he left their room and headed back downstairs.

Quietly, he sat down in a chair next to the couch and turned the television on softly. He flipped through the channels and rolled his eyes when he couldn't find anything he wanted to watch. Jin leaned his head back against the chair and looked at the ceiling.

'I wonder if Xiaoyu is this bored at home all day,' he thought. 'I haven't even been here for twenty minutes and I'm going crazy."

He heard her stir in her sleep and looked towards her. She was stretching her arms and she covered her mouth with one hand while she yawned. It was clear that she hadn't seen him yet.

Jin smiled over at her. He stood up and walked over to the couch to sit next to her. "Hey, sweetie," he whispered. "Have a nice nap?"

"Jin!" she exclaimed. "You're home early!"

He looked at her questioningly. "No," he smiled. "You've been asleep since I've been home."

Xiaoyu sighed and buried her head in her hands. Jin put his arm around her and moved her to look up at him. She smiled weakly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I forgot to start dinner," she started. "I'm really sorry. I should go and make it now, I guess."

She started to move to leave the couch for the kitchen but Jin grabbed her wrist. "Nah, you don't have to," he began. "I ordered out."

Xiaoyu sighed and sat down next to him again. "Thank you," she whispered. "I didn't feel like cooking tonight."

He pulled her close and kissed her. It felt good to be holding her in his arms again. It was clear that she wasn't fully awake yet.

Gently, Xiaoyu pushed Jin down on the couch and laid on top of him. She smiled as he began to kiss her neck and run his fingers through her hair. All of her worries from earlier that day had seemingly vanished.

Jin sat up on the couch and pulled her close to him. His hands rested on her waist and traced a path towards her stomach. Quickly, Xiaoyu grabbed his hands and moved away.

Her sudden movement had startled him. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Did I hurt you?"

She realized what she had done and blushed. "No," she whispered. She couldn't look at him. "I've got something to tell you."

Xiaoyu looked at him; he was moving closer to where she was sitting. Something in his eyes seemed to already know what she was going to tell him. He put an arm around her and kissed her forehead while she began to speak.

"Jin, I'm- I mean w-we're," and she stopped. She tried not to cry; begged herself not to cry. But no matter how hard she tried she couldn't stop the tears from falling down her cheeks.

"Oh," Jin said. "Come here! Shh!"

He pulled her closer to him and snuggled into her soft hair. They rocked together back and forth until her tears seemed to have subsided. Jin wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and smiled down at her.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"I don't know how to say it," her voice cracked and Jin had to wipe a few more tears away.

Jin seemed to be a little worried now. He looked down at her with love in his eyes; it calmed Xiaoyu's nerves.

"Oh Jin," she hardly spoke his name. "We're gonna have a baby."

She started crying harder then. It was sobbing, not like before; Jin held her hand and tried to wipe the tears away. She tried to turn away from him.

"Oh, sweetie," Jin began. "What are you crying for? This is a good thing."

"Really?" she sniffed. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course!" he held her closer. "I mean it with all of my heart."

And he really did.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

He hadn't been sleeping well lately. Who really could have expected him to? With Xiaoyu's late night runs to the bathroom and her strange cravings for food at all hours of the night, he was constantly busy.

But he couldn't really say that he minded. After all, it was partially his doing. So night after night, he stayed awake with her; brushing hair out of her face as she threw up late at night, making midnight runs to the kitchen for whatever food she was craving, and talking with her when her stomach wouldn't let her sleep.

"Jin," she whispered. He stirred slightly in his sleep but didn't open his eyes. She watched him with a smile on her face. The moonlight was falling through the window and illuminating his muscled body.

Xiaoyu snuggled closer to her husband and sighed. She knew that she had been a bother to him lately. He hadn't been sleeping well and she could tell that it was affecting him at work.

His eyes opened and met hers. He blinked a few times, not fully awake and smiled at her. Xiaoyu brushed his bangs out of his face and smiled back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Did I wake you?"

He shook his head 'no' and wrapped his arms around her waist. He was very tired, she could tell. He could hardly keep his eyes open. "What do you need, sweetie?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she whispered. "Go back to sleep."

Xiaoyu wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead. He looked into her eyes and brought his hand to her cheek. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Jin," she whispered as she ran her fingers through his hair.

His hand found its way to her stomach. He traced the slight curve of it gently with his fingers. A smile formed on his lips while he looked at her.

Xiaoyu teased him, running her own fingers across his muscled stomach. She laughed and moved her hand up towards his chest. She sat up in bed, suddenly, moved one leg on either side of Jin and bent down to kiss him.

Jin didn't protest but wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body down on top of his. She let out a small cry as he pressed his lips against hers. She moved her body against his; not letting their kiss break.

He rolled her body next to his and turned over on top of her, careful not to put all of his weight on her. Their foreheads were pressed together and Xiaoyu's eyes were focused on him.

"What do you think the baby will be like?" she asked Jin.

"Perfect," he whispered. "Just like you."

"Jin!" she exclaimed. "Seriously, what do you think it will be like?"

"Well, it will be a girl," he began. "And she'll have your eyes, and your hair, and your nose."

"What will she have of yours?"

"Nothing," he whispered.

Xiaoyu laughed. "Don't get your hopes up," she replied. "He's half you too!"

"He?" Jin raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah," she said. "I want a baby boy."

Jin snuggled closer to her. "Why a boy?"

"Because," her voice trailed off. "He'll be just like you."

Jin laughed. "But that's cheating!" he exclaimed.

"Cheating?" Xiaoyu asked.

"She's half you too," he said, mocking her.

Xiaoyu laughed. "But, I want him to be like you," she whispered. "He'd be so perfect. You know that right?"

"I think a mix of us both would be perfect," Jin whispered as he pulled his wife closer to him.

'He's right,' Xiaoyu thought as they drifted back to sleep. 'He's going to be a part of both of us, even if he doesn't happen to be a boy.'

She smiled and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was Saturday, she and Jin could sleep in as long as they wanted. She felt him kiss her forehead as she drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

They were at the hospital again. Though this time they were there for a prenatal visit to Xiaoyu's doctor rather than a checkup, something about sitting in the waiting room again made Jin nervous. It was a different office in a different part of the hospital but it still meant the same thing; uncertainty.

Xiaoyu was sitting next to Jin, quietly reading magazines and he had his arm around her. He looked over her shoulder, reading some of the articles and looking at the pictures.

When Xiaoyu's name was called Jin looked at her questioningly. "Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.

She nodded and held his hand. They followed the nurse back to the small examination room and Jin sat down on a chair while Xiaoyu sat down on the table. The nurse reached underneath the table and opened a drawer. She pulled out a hospital gown and asked Xiaoyu to put it on.

"The doctor will be with you shortly," she said. Before she closed the door to the room to leave them, she leaned her head back inside and said, "You two sure are a wonderful young couple. You'll have a beautiful baby."

Xiaoyu blushed and thanked her. Jin just smiled at his wife and took her hand in his once the nurse had left. She began to remove her clothes and pulled on the hospital gown.

Her shoulders were shaking and she had goose bumps all over her body. Jin pulled her off of the table slowly and sat her down on his lap. He put his arms around her, trying to warm her up again.

It wasn't long before the doctor came in to find the young couple cuddled up in the corner. She smiled at them warmly and introduced herself. "Hello, I'm Dr. Nagoya and I'll be taking care of you and your baby until delivery," she said shaking Xiaoyu's hand.

Xiaoyu climbed back onto the table in the center of the room and reached her hand out to Jin. He held it in his; he could feel her shaking. He stood up and walked closer to her, stroking her hair and holding her hand.

"It's alright, sweetie," he whispered. "I'm here."

"Alright," the doctor said. She didn't waste any time in asking his wife nearly a billion questions about her personal health history and that of her family.

Jin squeezed Xiaoyu's shaking hand reassuringly. It wasn't clear, anymore, whether she was shaking from being cold or from fear. He wanted to protect her and make her feel safe again, he wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be just fine, but most of all he wanted to leave the examination room and take her home.

"What's wrong, honey?" the doctor asked. "You're shaking like crazy! Are you cold or just a little nervous about this whole visit?"

"A little of both," Xiaoyu confessed.

"What's there to be nervous about?" the doctor asked.

Xiaoyu gave her a weak smile. Jin looked at the doctor nervously. 'She doesn't know,' he thought. 'She has no idea what kind of luck we've had in the past.'

Xiaoyu didn't say anything; there was a lump rising in her throat. 'How am I supposed to tell the doctor?' she thought before she responded, "We've lost a baby before and I don't want to lose this baby too."

"A miscarriage?" the doctor asked.

Jin squeezed Xiaoyu's hand as she answered, "Yes."

"Well, you have my deepest sympathy," the doctor replied. "But I have some very good news for you. Your risk of miscarriage is higher because you've had one in the past, but there is still only a fifteen percent chance that you will lose this baby. So, instead of worrying about that fifteen percent think about the eighty five percent chance that you'll have a successful pregnancy and have a happy, healthy baby."

Xiaoyu looked up at her doctor and smiled. She stopped shaking and turned towards Jin. He was looking at her lovingly.

'It will only get better from here,' she thought.


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Though she had thought that she had only been pregnant for a total of four weeks, Xiaoyu had, in fact, been pregnant for seven. As her morning sickness and fatigue gradually began to wear off, though there were still ever present reminders of her pregnancy, her irritability and mood swings became more frequent.

In the next three weeks it wasn't uncommon for Jin to come home from work and find Xiaoyu on the couch, extremely happy or extremely sad. She would have a magazine open in front of her or the television on or maybe not have been doing anything at all and she would either be laughing or there would be twenty or more used tissues surrounding her.

Her mood was a warning sign to Jin about how she would need to be treated for the rest of the night. If she was happy, Jin could joke around with her; he could tickle her, cuddle with her, and even tease her. He would be able to talk to her about the baby and about her day.

If she was sad, however, he had to hold her and kiss her. He would have to sit with her for the rest of the night and tell her how much he loved her and how beautiful he thought she was. Though he didn't like finding his wife sad, Jin couldn't help but like always needing to be hugging her and kissing her.

One night Jin came home to find Xiaoyu sitting on the couch and laughing at a television show she was watching. He smiled to himself; knowing that this was going to be a good night. When he closed the door behind him, Xiaoyu turned around and smiled.

"Come sit with me, Jin!" she yelled, moving over and making a spot for him to sit. She was wearing a white tank top and faded jeans.

Jin set down his briefcase and took off his suit jacket. "In a minute, baby," he said. "I'm gonna go change out of my work clothes."

She didn't say anything but went back to laughing at her television show. Jin made sure that he hurried to change out of his work clothes. He put the tie back in the closet and tossed the dirty clothes into the basket outside of the bathroom. Slowly, Jin walked down the carpeted stairs and stopped in the doorway of the living room to look at his beautiful wife.

Xiaoyu was still watching television and laughing occasionally. Her small legs were crossed underneath her and a blanket was wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up at him standing in the doorway.

"Come sit down!" she called. "I've been so bored all day without you!"  
Jin wrapped his arm around Xiaoyu's small shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. "Ohh," he groaned. "I've missed you."

Xiaoyu turned and faced him while she pressed her lips against his. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pushed him down on the couch. She laughed and hugged him as tightly as she could.

Something caught Jin's attention; something between them. Once the hug had ended, Jin reached down towards Xiaoyu's stomach and patted it lovingly. He smiled at her as she blushed.

She still wasn't showing but Jin knew that their baby was still growing. Eventually everyone would be able to tell that Xiaoyu was pregnant; but it might be a while longer.

Xiaoyu had chosen not to tell everyone about the baby; not yet. She wanted to be sure that she didn't have another miscarriage. Jin didn't mind if no one ever knew; it was his baby, after all.

"I told my uncle about the baby, today," Xiaoyu smiled up at him. "And your grandfather."

"What?" Jin asked, sounding alarmed. "My grandfather knows?"

Xiaoyu smiled. "Of course, someone had to tell him eventually," she beamed.

"What did he say?" Jin asked.

"Well, he made me promise that our baby wouldn't call him great-grandfather," Xiayou smiled and gave Jin a quick kiss. "But I think he was excited."

"Who else knows?" Jin asked.

"Umm," Xiaoyu thought for a minute. "Well, those are the only two people that I told. We can tell everyone else now, I guess."

Jin smiled. "We can tell them when you're ready," he whispered, pulling her into another long hug and kissing her over and over again.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Maybe Xiaoyu's pregnancy was still a mystery to the rest of the world but her eating habits were not. Every night after Jin had returned from work, they would go for a walk around in the park and shopping area that was near their home. And every night Xiaoyu would smell some wonderful food coming from one of the restaurants and have to go inside to give it a try.

Jin didn't mind; it wasn't like his pocketbook was being affected by the constant nights out. Besides, he had always loved showing off his lovely wife in public. It was just that some of the combinations that she would eat and if the combinations weren't enough it was the quantity.

It wasn't uncommon at all for Xiaoyu to eat a salad, a soup, bread, and her meal. Then, they would nearly always find something else that sounded appetizing to her; like ice cream, cake, or candy.

On one particular night, deciding that she wished to take food back to their home for dinner, Xiaoyu couldn't decide on just one dish she wanted. They passed a Chinese restaurant and the smell of beef with fresh broccoli and sweet rolls drew her inside.

"I just love beef with broccoli!" she smiled up at Jin who was carrying a sack with her food and his own order of sweet and sour pork.

"Yes," Jin smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "I know you love beef with broccoli."

They both laughed and began to walk back to their house. They were halfway up the sidewalk when Xiaoyu caught a smell of something spicy. The Mexican restaurant across the street was calling her now. After she retrieved a burrito and a small box of nachos, they were on their way again.

"Don't nachos just sound wonderful?" she asked Jin, smiling.

"Well, yes, dear," Jin answered. He now had two bags in his hands and was beginning to struggle with balancing both of them.

Again, they began to walk down the street towards their house. But, once again they were stopped by another sweet aroma. This time, Xiaoyu smelled hamburgers and french fries.

"Mmm!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait to get home!"

Jin smiled down at her weakly, holding all three of the bags in his arms. He took a quick look up the street to see what else they would be passing. He nearly fainted when he saw all of the other restaurants in front of them.

'Indian, Italian, German, Polish, and French!' he thought. 'How much more can she possibly want to eat?'

Almost as though she had read his mind, Xiaoyu began to walk more quickly towards the other restaurants. She passed the French and Indian restaurants just fine. But she stopped and looked inside of the Italian restaurant.

"Spaghetti sounds wonderful, don't you think, Jin?" she asked.

"Yes, dear," he answered as they went inside and ordered spaghetti to go.

By this time Jin's hands were completely full. Xiaoyu looked at him and tried not to laugh; it was pretty mean of her to make him carry all of her food. She stopped on the sidewalk in front of the Polish restaurant and looked at Jin.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked. "Do you want something from there?"

"No," she whispered. Xiaoyu was looking towards her feet and seemed to be sad about something. "I can help you carry those bags."

Jin didn't say anything but walked back towards her. He put the bags on the ground and pulled her into a strong hug. "Seriously, honey," he whispered. "What's wrong? Did you want something else?"

Xiaoyu didn't answer. Tears were forming in her eyes, though she didn't know why or how to stop them. People were passing by them, glaring at Jin as though it was his fault for making her cry.

"I don't want to be a bother to you," she cried.

"Oh, oh," Jin comforted her. "Xiaoyu, baby, I love you. You're never a bother to me. Never ever! I want to take care of you."

"But, I can't eat all of this food!" she started crying harder. "I've made you waste so much money on all of these things I can't possibly finish!"

Jin began to laugh a little, pulling her into another hug. "It's ok," he began. "We can save what you don't eat for later on, ok?"

Xiaoyu smiled and kissed him. She picked up two of the bags in one arm and smiled as Jin did the same. Taking his hand in hers, Xiaoyu began to lead him through the bustling crowd of people and towards their home.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

There were, what seemed to be, hundreds of dresses laid out on their bed. Some in red, some in green, a few in black, and many in white, were all scattered around; still on their hangers. The dresses fabrics were beginning to wrinkle from the weight of the dresses on top of the pile.

Xiaoyu was nervous, she had pulled every dress she owned out of the closet and was slowly beginning to try them all on, keep out the ones that she liked and hang up the ones she did not. So far, she had tried on approximately ten or fifteen dresses so far and hadn't liked the way that any of them fit her.

Luckily for her, Xiaoyu still had hours before Jin would come home from work and take her to the party. It was a formal party, well, kind of. All of the other women that would attend the party would have on beautiful dresses that fit them perfectly. So why couldn't Xiaoyu find one, as well?

She sighed and looked at the pile in front of her. 'I'm tired of trying all of these on and there are still so many left to go!' she thought. 'Maybe I could have Jin pick out the dress he likes. He would make sure that it looked alright.'

Slowly, Xiaoyu began to pick up the dresses and hang them back in her closet. But she stopped as her fingers passed over a silk white dress. It was cool and smooth; like something she had never touched before. Curious, she slid it off of the hanger and began to unzip the back.

The door downstairs opened and she could hear the sound of Jin's feet on the floor. She could picture it now; he would take off his jacket and set his briefcase by the door. Then he would take off his shoes and start looking for her.

Quickly, Xiaoyu hopped into the beautiful white silk dress and zipped it up in the back. She looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was plain but it was fancy. It was short; but not too short. It was tight; but not too tight.

She stared at her reflection. The dress looked wonderful on her. The sleeves slid just slightly off of her shoulders. The dress clung to her curves and hid her slightly swollen stomach. Xiaoyu smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

"Xiaoyu!" he called. "I'm home! Where are you, baby?"

Trying not to let him hear her, she giggled. She softly made her way down the carpeted staircase and saw that he was no longer standing by the door. Jin had turned towards the living room and was looking down at the couch, where she normally would have been.

"You're home early," she whispered softly.

Jin turned around quickly and his eyes widened when he saw her. Rushing to her, he felt the silky dress against her waist and saw the confusion in her eyes. She tried to hide a blush while he looked at her up and down.

He pulled her into a hug and tried to hold back the tears in his eyes. "That dress," he began. "It belonged to my mother."

Xiaoyu felt a sudden wave of panic wash over her. 'Oh no!' she thought. 'I've certainly just made him feel terrible!'

He held her in his arms for a long time without saying anything. She kept her hold in his neck as he began to pull away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear. "I didn't know. I can go change."

"No!" Jin exclaimed, looking at her once again. "You look beautiful. My mother would be proud that you are wearing her dress."

Xiaoyu blushed and led him up the stairs to their bedroom. They got ready in silence. Jin couldn't take his eyes off of Xiaoyu, she was so beautiful. She had curled her long brown hair and it gently fell across her exposed shoulders. Her small lace sandals looked beautiful with the white dress.

When they had finished getting ready for the party, Jin took Xiaoyu's arm in his and escorted her to the car. She giggled as he pulled her close to him and kissed her several time before allowing her to sit down. He closed the door behind her and ran around the car to his side.

They were going to a party that the former Mishima Zaibatsu had thrown quarterly to celebrate their success. Now, the party was a friendly get together between the employees of the Zaibatsu and their families.

Heihachi was the first person to greet them as they walked up to the stairway to the large open doorway. Jin couldn't see his face clearly because of the light coming from inside of the ballroom. Xiaoyu smiled at Jin's grandfather and hurried up the stairs to greet him.

"Heihachi!" she called, hugging him.

He gave the small girl a quick hug and looked at her. She looked wonderful; he noticed. Jin followed behind her.

"Grandfather," he shook his hand.

The old man had softened a bit with the news of the coming of his great grandchild. He had always loved the little Chinese girl that he brought with him from Beijing; honestly, had hoped that Jin would love her just as much.

Jin's relationship with the old man seemed to have been healed as well, almost. Once the devil gene within him had been destroyed, so, it seemed, had been the hatred his grandfather had shown towards him.

Heihachi smiled at them both. They were so young and still had so much to learn about life.

Together, they walked into the already crowded ballroom. She and Jin both knew that this was the perfect time to tell everyone else about Xiaoyu's pregnancy. Looking around the room; Jin gave Xiaoyu's hand a reassuring squeeze.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

The inevitable had happened.

It wasn't like she hadn't expected it. It happened to all pregnant women at some point or another. Maybe it was just wishful thinking that this should pass her completely and that she should have no problems with it.

Xiaoyu's clothes didn't fit her anymore. Well, they still fit; kind of. But there was always something that didn't look quite right. A shirt would stretch too tightly across the widening span of her stomach or a waistband of a pair of jeans wouldn't quite fit around her anymore.

When Jin came home that night, Xiaoyu wasn't in her usual spot on the couch in the living room. He walked around, quietly, through the rooms in the house until he found her upstairs in their room.

Her back was turned away from him and she was looking into the mirror in front of her. Jin leaned against the doorway and smiled at her as she twisted and turned, examining the curves of her body. He tried not to laugh as she rolled her eyes and whipped the shirt off of herself and threw it into a very large pile of clothes she had, obviously, already tried on.

Jin walked up behind her, carefully navigating his way through piles of clothes that no longer fit. Xiaoyu seemed to be very upset as she pulled another shirt over her head. She was wearing her favorite pair of jeans.

Several other pairs of jeans were thrown across the back of a chair and tons of t-shirts in so many different colors were thrown on the floor all around her. He stood there for a moment, lost among every article of clothing that she owned, and tried to hide how bad he felt. It was his fault, after all.

"Don't worry, baby," he whispered in her ear as he walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Your clothes will all fit again someday soon."

Startled, Xiaoyu turned around quickly and sighed with relief when she saw Jin staring down at her. She didn't say anything but moved her eyes towards the floor. Xiaoyu wasn't ashamed or embarrassed; just sad.

The room was a total mess, she knew this. It was terrible for Jin to have to come home to find their room such a mess.

"I'm sorry I made such a mess," she whispered. "But I couldn't find anything to wear today."

Jin didn't say anything. He was completely shocked. "You've been up here all day long?"

Xiaoyu weakly nodded her head. She wouldn't look at Jin.

"Oh," he murmured. "What about this one?"

He picked up a red short-sleeved shirt and handed it to her. She took it, slowly and tried it on.

"No!" she exclaimed with tears welling up in her eyes. "It's too tight."

Jin pulled her into his arms and kissed away her tears. He snuggled close to her and they rocked back and forth.

"I think it looks great," Jin whispered.

There was a long pause before Xiaoyu looked up at her husband. "Really?" she asked him. "You're not just saying that?"

"Absolutely not!" he exclaimed.

"But my other clothes," she turned her eyes towards the piles of shirts, jeans, and shorts that no longer fit her.

"It's alright," Jin comforted her, pulling her into another tight hug.

Xiaoyu wrapped her arms around her husband and laid her head on his shoulder. They stood there for a moment in silence, just enjoying the other's presence. Jin brushed a few strands of her hair back and smiled at her.

Although she was still unhappy, something inside of her was beaming with joy; something that she couldn't quite explain.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

They were lying together in the darkness of the room that they shared. Xiaoyu was turned on her side, facing Jin. Her hands were folded underneath her head and her features were illuminated by the moonlight that filed through the windows and fell in sheets across their bed.

She looked so small underneath the large quilt that covered her. But her eyes were closed and her breathing was slow and deep. It had been such a long time since he had been able to watch her sleep.

Jin gently placed a hand on her widening stomach. She was so warm; it felt good to be near her. He could have sworn that he felt the baby move inside of her.

"Shh," he whispered to his child. "I know you're there."

He gave his wife's stomach another reassuring pat before he continued. "But right now, your mama needs her sleep."

Jin moved closer to his wife and began to think. He tried to remember his childhood. The only person he could remember was his mother; his father hadn't really played the biggest role in his life.

"I didn't have the best father when I was growing up," Jin whispered to his baby. "But I promise, for you, I'll try my best not to let you down."

As though his child understood, Jin felt another smell nudge against his hand. He smiled to himself and gave Xiaoyu's stomach another gentle pat.

"I love you, too, kid," he began. "I really do, but your mama is finally sleeping. She needs her rest."

Jin looked up into his wife's tear-stained eyes. She had been listening to him the whole time.

"Oh, Jin," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Do you really mean all of that?"

Jin could feel her stomach pressing into his and he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He gently kissed her forehead and wiped a few tears away from her eyes. "Yeah, baby."

"I love you," Xiaoyu breathed into his neck.

"I love you, too," Jin whispered back to her.

They laid there in silence for a long time; enjoying the presence of each other's company. Jin gently rubbed Xiaoyu's stomach and she tried not to giggle when, each time the baby shifted inside of her, Jin's hand would stop and try to feel something move again.

Finally, she broke the silence, asking, "What should we name him?"

"Him?" Jin asked. "I thought we were having a girl!"

"No," she whispered.

"Well?" Jin began, grinning. "Names for a boy."

"Kazama Hikaru," Xiaoyu announced after a moment of thought.

"But, that's a girl's name!" Jin laughed a little. "What about Hikaru if there's a mistake in your prediction and we have a girl instead?"

"Deal!" Xiaoyu gave her husband a quick smile and began to think again. "What about Motoki?"

"I like it," Jin whispered. "Kazama Hikaru and Kazama Motoki."

Xiaoyu placed her hand on top of Jin's, which was resting lightly on top of her stomach. She knew that he was still trying to feel the baby move. 'Poor thing,' she thought. 'He'll never feel him move with his hand over there!'

"Here, you can feel the baby's heart beat," she whispered, moving his hand so that he could feel the baby inside. "And here, you can feel the baby move."

Jin smiled as he felt his son move. "Strong little guy," Jin whispered. "Isn't he?"

"He's just like his daddy," Xiaoyu beamed as she spoke.

"Hopefully with the looks of his mama," Jin's voice trailed off.

"Oh, Jin," she sighed. "I think he'll look just as handsome as you."

He smiled at Xiaoyu and kissed her again. "OK, if it's a boy, he can look like me," Jin smiled. "But if it's a girl, she will have to look just like you."

He pulled his wife close to him and interrupted what she was beginning to say with another kiss. Jin couldn't help but smile every time he thought about the tiny life that they had created together. Sure, he was scared about his new role as a father; but, with Xiaoyu there to help him, he was sure that he could be a good father. He loved them both too much to let them down.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Jin could remember that morning clearly. It hadn't started out as anything out of the ordinary. He woke up on time and found that it was still quiet in the house. Xiaoyu was sleeping in her usual spot on the bed.

It wasn't too unusual to find her sleeping soundly every morning when he woke up. Thinking nothing of it, he quietly climbed out of bed and hopped into the shower. When he was finished with his shower, Jin went to the dresser and pulled out the clothes he was going to wear to work that day.

'Red tie or blue tie?" he thought to himself, while he looked into the mirror and held up each tie separately to match to his outfit.

"Jin?" Xiaoyu's voice was a mix of question, panic, and uncertainty.

He turned around to look at her. "Good morning," he walked over to the bed and sat down next to her on the side. "Which tie looks better? The red one or the blue one?"

"Jin," Xiaoyu began again. This time her voice was weak and her face had grown pale. She put a hand on his forearm and gently squeezed.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked, as if noticing for the first time how panicked she looked. "Do you feel alright?"

"I-I think my water just broke," she said nervously.

"Alright," Jin looked at the empty glass of water on the bedside table and began to stand up. "I can go get more."

"No, Jin!" Xiaoyu exclaimed. "I'm in labor."

"Oh," Jin blushed, trying to laugh off his embarrassment. Then reality sunk in, "OH!"

Jin stood up, wide eyed, and looked down at Xiaoyu. Then, as though someone was timing him, Jin began to rush around the room. He was opening drawers and tossing clothes into a suitcase.

"Jin!" Xiaoyu exclaimed, standing up.

"No, no, baby," Jin scolded. "I'll pack for you. Just relax there."

"But Jin!" Xiaoyu yelled. "We already packed."

Jin looked at the suitcase sitting by the door or their room. He rushed back over to his wife and pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm just nervous, that's all."

"Me too," Xiaoyu answered.

Jin was shaking; she could feel his body against her own. Slowly, the separated from their hug and looked at one another. Xiaoyu walked over to the dresser and began to change out of her pajamas.

"What can I do?" Jin asked.

"Put on the blue tie," Xiaoyu laughed.

"Seriously," Jin began, his voice was stern. "I want to help."

"You could go make breakfast," Xiaoyu suggested.

Jin looked at his wife dumbfounded. "But you're in labor!" he exclaimed. "We have to go to the hospital. We don't have time for breakfast!"

Xiaoyu laughed, pulling a shirt over her head. "Oh Jin!" she said lightly. "We have plenty of time for that. My contractions aren't that strong yet. Besides, do you really want to eat breakfast at a hospital?"

Agreeing, Jin held Xiaoyu's hand as they walked downstairs with their suitcase. They went into the kitchen and Jin pulled out a chair for his wife at the table. She laughed at how nervous he looked.

"Relax," Xiaoyu said. "You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

Jin gave his wife a nervous laugh, though he did seem to lighten up a little bit. "What do you want for breakfast?" Jin asked.

"Hmm," she said. "A bagel with cream cheese!"

Jin smiled at how energetic his wife seemed to be. It was almost like she had regained a touch of her youthfulness overnight.

He made two bagels with cream cheese and sat down next to Xiaoyu with the telephone. He dialed his secretary and waited as the phone rang. "Hello, this is Jin," there was a pause. "I won't be at work today. My wife just went into labor."

There was another pause, this time longer. Jin answered, "Yes, thank you. I'll call as soon as the baby is born."

After they finished their breakfast, Jin threw the dishes in the sink and led Xiaoyu to the car. She looked back over her shoulder at their house as Jin pulled out of the driveway. 'It won't feel so empty when we come home,' she thought.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Several hours after they had arrived at the hospital, Jin found himself sitting next to his wife, who was lying in a hospital bed. Her hair was sticking to her forehead with sweat and she her body was tangled in a stiff cotton hospital sheet. Jin was wiping her forehead with a wet cloth and kept stroking her head.

"Oh!" Xiaoyu moaned as another contraction swept over her tired body. She grabbed Jin's hand and closed her eyes tightly until it had passed.

Jin felt sick. 'All of this is entirely my fault,' he thought. 'I'm the one that put her through all of this pain.'

"Jin?" her voice was weak.

"Yes, baby?" he asked.

"How much time was between that contraction and the last one?" she whispered, desperate for them to end.

"About two minutes," Jin said as he began to wipe her forehead with another wet rag. "Should I call to the nurse?"

Xiaoyu nodded her head. Jin stood up slowly and walked to the doorway. He put his hand on the doorknob and began to turn it.

"Jin!" Xiaoyu called. Her voice was full of pain.

Rushing back to her, Jin held her hand as another contraction began. This time, tears formed in her eyes and she looked up at Jin, her eyes pleading with him.

"Baby," Jin whispered. He kissed her forehead and held her hand in his. "This will all be over soon."

He walked to the door and stepped outside. There weren't many people waiting for the good news; just his grandfather and Xiaoyu's uncle. "Someone go get a nurse and a doctor," Jin demanded.

Heihachi turned his back to his grandson and began to stroll leisurely down the hallway towards the nurse's station.

"Hurry!" Jin yelled. He turned around and walked back into the room.

Xiaoyu was uncomfortable, Jin could tell. He walked over to her quickly and sat down in his chair again. Wiping more sweat from her forehead, Jin smiled down at his wife weakly.

"They'll be here soon," he whispered.

Xiaoyu closed her eyes. "How soon?"

As though they had read her mind, two nurses walked into the room followed by a doctor. The first nurse held the door open for the second, who was pushing a large cart. The doctor followed both of them inside and sat down on a rolling stool in the room.

"Let's have a look," she said, smiling at Xiaoyu. One of the nurses raised Xiaoyu's head up so that she was sitting and the doctor pulled out stirrups for Xiaoyu to put her feet in. "Feet in, honey!"

Jin watched his wife obey. She looked so tired. He wiped the sweat off of her forehead and took her hand in his.

"Alright," the doctor looked at one of the nurses. "We're ready to deliver."

Xiaoyu's face brightened. She didn't look so hopeless anymore. It put Jin at ease and made a lot of his nervousness disappear.

"OK, sweetie," the doctor said. "We're going to wait for another contraction. Then, on the count of three, I'm going to need you to give me a big push."

The doctor reached her hands under the sheet and everyone was silent. Time seemed to stand still in those few moments. The room seemed to be frozen, as though a picture had been taken.

Xiaoyu let out a small gasp as another contraction began. She took Jin's hand in hers and gave him a quick look of panic.

"Yes, honey!" the doctor started. "One, two, three, big push!"

Jin clenched his teeth to keep from calling out as Xiaoyu began to squeeze his hand in her tiny fist. She drew in a deep breath and began to push again with the next contraction. All the while, her face grew more and more pale and her breaths grew shorter and shorter.

"That's it, baby," Jin whispered.

"One more big push and you'll be all done!" the doctor called.

Xiaoyu looked up at her husband. There was a look in her eyes that Jin couldn't explain. Was it helplessness? Excitement? Fear?

All of a sudden, the doctor held up a beautiful little baby. There was no sound. Was something wrong? Why wouldn't their baby cry? The child let out a small cough; a sigh of relief escaped Jin.

The nurse began to carry Jin's baby away. He was confused. Where were they going with his child? The doctor remained with Xiaoyu, finishing things up.

"Wait!" Jin called. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A girl," the nurse smiled at the new father.

Jin followed her and watched as she began to wash his little girl off and clean her up. Cautiously, Jin touched her tiny hand. He counted five little fingers and five little toes on each hand and foot. She was beautiful; his baby girl.

"She's perfect, Xiaoyu," he told his wife. "She looks just like her mama!"

The nurse wrapped their daughter up in a pink blanket. She held the baby out to Jin but he wouldn't hold her; not yet.

"No," he said. "Her mother should hold her first."

"She's bleeding," panic sounded in the doctor's voice. "Get him out of here!"

The nurse shoved the baby into Jin's arms and led him to the door. "I'm sorry, sir. But the doctor needs to help your wife. You'll have to leave," she said to him, softly.

"That's my wife!" Jin yelled. "And I'll stay with her!"

"No!" the doctor exclaimed. "Get him out of here."

"Sir," the nurse began. "You need to leave. Your wife is losing blood and we can't have you in here any longer."

"M-my wife-" Jin stammered.

"We're losing her," the doctor said as the nurse ran over to her.

Jin followed her. He looked down at his wife's pale features. She gave him a weak smile. Her breathing was weak.

"I-I," she struggled to say.

"Shh," Jin whispered. "Save your strength."

Xiaoyu's eyes widened. "I love you," she managed.

"I love you, too, baby," Jin whispered. "But you're going to be alright."

"I want to see her," Xiaoyu whispered.

He held their baby closer to his wife so that she could see her daughter; so she could look into her beautiful eyes and see their child for the first time. Jin watched the smile form on Xiaoyu's face as looked at the perfect baby in front of her.

"She's just like I always dreamed she would be," Xiaoyu whispered. "Absolutely perfect."

"Just like her mama," Jin murmured as he tried to fight back tears.

"Jin," Xiaoyu gasped. Her face was so pale and she was shivering uncontrollably. "I don't want to go. I'm so scared."

Jin was crying openly, now. "I don't want you to go, either," he sobbed. "I love you. We need you."

But she never answered. The line on heart monitor went flat and a long, loud, beep was all that could be heard. The two nurses pulled Jin away from his wife's bedside and toward the door but his eyes never left Xiaoyu.

He found himself outside of the room, staring at a closed door. He heard his daughter begin to cry for the first time. Jin turned to face his grandfather and Xiaoyu's uncle, who were standing in front of him, and leaned against the door.

His own tears spilled down his cheeks and he buried his face in the softness of his daughter's tiny body. He slid down until he was sitting on the floor, crying into his daughter's blanket.

There was complete silence; save for the sobbing of a man and his newborn baby. No one moved.

"She's gone," he managed in between sobs.

Heihachi knelt down to look into his grandson's eyes. There were tears spilling down the old man's cheeks as he remembered the death of his own wife. He placed a hand on his grandson's shoulder and pulled him into a hug; the first sign of affection he had ever shown towards the boy.

"Jin," Wang's voice called sternly from across the hallway. "You've got a baby that needs you. Now, pull yourself together!"

"He's right," Heihachi whispered. "Your daughter is going to need the love and attention of a father; something that only you can give."

"But I can't do it alone," Jin protested. "I wasn't supposed to…"

"You don't have to," Wang replied.

"We're her family, too," Heihachi whispered.

Jin looked down into his daughter's eyes. She had stopped crying and was snuggled, comfortably, against his chest. She had her mother's soft brown hair scattered across her tiny head, her eyes were the deep brown of her mother's, and she had the tiny appearance of the woman Jin had loved so much.

He smiled down at the infant in his arms and began to rock her to sleep. Sleepily, she closed her eyes. Jin swore that she had a smile on her face.

"Hello, Hikaru," Jin whispered to the tiny child in his arms. "I'm your daddy."

**fin**

**Author's Note:** Alright, I figure it's about time that I wrote one of these! Firstly, I want to apologize to all of you Xiaoyu fans out there. She's one of my favorite characters, too, so it was really hard to have to end it this way. I think that it is important to write emotional stories sometimes; even if the ending isn't a happy one. Well, if you'd like to hear more about Jin and Hikki, please review!

I'd really like to know what you all think of this. I know the end is a little harsh, but I warned you that it would be dark near the end.


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